A new study by Club Med has revealed the most Instagrammable and the most luxurious train trips from around the globe. By analysing review and price data from Tripadvisor, Instagram, Pinterest as well as details from the trains’ own websites, Club Med came up with a score out of 100 for their Instagrammability and another score for their luxuriousness. Here are their rankings:
While the bulk of the trains were located in Europe, the Rocky Mountaineer with its routes through the Canadian Rockies and the remote vistas of Canada’s West scored the top spot as the Most Instagrammable with 83 out of 100. The journey based on which Agatha Christie novel based her beloved novel ‘Murder on the Orient Express, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express came second with a score of 80, followed by VIA Rail’s The Canadian at 78 which journeys from Toronto to Vancouver.
Here are the final rankings:
Club Med’s Most Instagrammable Train Journeys in the World
1. The Rocky Mountaineer: Banff to Vancouver (83)
2. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express: London to Venice (80)
3. The Canadian: Toronto to Vancouver (78)
4. The Ghan: Adelaide to Darwin (70)
5. Flåm Railway, Europe, Flam to Myrdal (68)
6. Glacier Express, Europe {65)
7. Bernina Express, Europe (65)
8. The Presidential Train, Portugal (63)
9. Indian Pacific, Australia & New Zealand {60)
10. Rovos Rail: Southern and eastern Africa (58)
11. Golden Pass Panoramic Express, Europe (53)
12. Golden Eagle: Moscow to Vladivostok {53)
13. Seven Stars: Kyushu, Japan (48)
14. Maharajas’ Express: Delhi to Mumbai (48)
15. Deccan Odyssey, Asia (35)
16. Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru (33)
17. Blue Train: Pretoria to Cape Town (30)
18. The Belmond British Pullman, Europe (28)
19. The Transcantabrico Gran Lujo: San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela (25)
20. Golden Eagle Danube Express, Europe (13)
Social media aside, Club Med also looked at which train journeys were deemed the most luxurious. Here are their top scores (out of 100):
Club Med’s Most Luxurious Train Journeys of the World:
1. The Rocky Mountaineer, Banff to Vancouver (70)
2. Glacier Express, Europe (59)
3. Flåm Railway, Europe (59)
4. The Ghan, Adelaide to Darwin (58)
5. Bernina Express, Europe (58)
6. Rovos Rail, Southern and eastern Africa (56)
7. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Europe (55)
8. The Presidential Train, Europe (55)
9. Golden Pass Panoramic Express, Europe (54)
10. Belmond Andean Explorer, Peru (50)
11. Indian Pacific, Australia & New Zealand (49)
12. The Canadian. Toronto to Vancouver (48)
13. Golden Eagle, Moscow to Vladivostok (46)
14. Deccan Odyssey, Asia (43)
15. The Belmond British Pullman, Europe (42)
16. Seven Stars: Kyushu, Japan (40)
17. The Transcantabrico Gran Lujo, Europe (36)
18. Maharajas’ Express, Delhi to Mumbai (35)
19. Blue Train, Pretoria to Cape Town (30)
20. Golden Eagle Danube Express, Europe (24)
These are our top tips for making the most out of your luxury train trip:
- Arrive early – to ensure a smooth trip, arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before your train departs, so you have time to locate your platform and ready any bags you want to have checked.
- Move around and explore – visit the observation car for panoramic views of the shifting scenery, or grab a quick snack and a drink from the snack car.
- Keep your camera at hand – from the moment you step onto the train your memories will begin, and some of the most amazing views will be right outside your window. Not only can you travel in-style to your holiday destination, luxury trains provide a holiday in themselves. They truly are one of the best alternative ways to travel.
“Unlike planes, when you travel by train you are able to see the ever-changing landscape rolling by. However, even though you’ll be able to enjoy the views of the French Alps or the Canadian Rockies from the comfort of your seat. Before you are due to set off, check with your specific train service for further detail on COVID-19 guidelines and the precautions you need to take,” recommends Club Med, Managing Director, UK & Northern Europe, Estelle Giraudeau.
Source: Club Med
